Discover old-world glamour in beautiful Sardinia

You don’t have to take a long-haul flight to find some of the most stunning beaches in the world.

In the late Fifties the Aga Khan bought a beautiful stretch of coast on the island of Sardinia with gentle hills and horseshoe coves. He set about creating a slice of paradise for his close friends, and the Emerald Coast was born.

“Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda has a lot of old-world glamour,” explains Jennifer. “Lots of celebrities and film stars love it; Princess Diana took a holiday here. This north eastern corner was a wild and uninhabited area, but with careful and tasteful development there are now some beautiful and unobtrusive hotels, which you can’t really see when you drive along the little lanes.

Lots of celebrities and film stars love the Costa Smeralda. Once a wild and uninhabited area, it has been tastefully developed

“All you see is maybe a few rooftops peeking out above the trees.” When Jennifer was looking for a holiday spot for discerning Saga customers, this seemed like the perfect destination. “You don’t have to go long haul to get white sandy beaches and clear seas that are shades of turquoise through to green and deep blue. Sardinia is a stunningly beautiful island, and it only takes a couple of hours on the plane.

“I was so pleased that just by Porto Cervo, which is one of the main towns, there was the lovely Hotel Le Ginestre. It’s a four-star hotel, which really fits in with the unobtrusive discreet tourism style that they have here, and which I think is very attractive. Once you arrive it feels like paradise on Earth, decorated with the typical Mediterranean rhododendrons and bougainvillea.

“The hotel itself is very attractive with its ocre-painted walls, terracotta tiled roofs and wooden balconies. It all blends into the Sardinian countryside and gives the feeling that it has always been there. It has a really incredible setting and feels very exclusive, with fantastic views across the garden and pool to the bay.

“One of the great things is that guests have access to a private beach, something quite special in this area as most of the beaches here are only accessible by yacht. I really think it will suit our customers, as they expect quality and this hotel will certainly not disappoint.

Take a break: bask in the mediterranean sun at Hotel Le Ginestre

“We always say that we ‘choose’ our hotels and that’s true, because we see a lot of properties and we wait until we’re happy that something good has come along. We have waited quite a few years to find this. We used to work with the manager of the hotel quite a few years ago when we used one of his hotels on our very popular Corsica and Sardinia tour.

“He remembered us and contacted me to chat about the new hotel, and this is so typical of our ‘Saga family’ of partners.” As with all the holidays Jennifer creates, she was keen for her customers to experience a true slice of Sardinia life. “We’ve arranged a really nice programme of optional excursions so guests can see many of the highlights of the island.

You don’t have to go long haul to get white sandy beaches and clear seas

“There aren’t a lot of places that are created for tourists, so we can show them some authentic old villages, and take them to see the 150 street murals in the historic region of Barbagia in Orgosolo on an included visit.” Jennifer’s guests will also get a feel for Sardinian life at the hotel.

“There are some really nice touches at the hotel, such as the traditional hand-woven and embroidered fabrics, and traditional ceramics. Plus, the food, although international, has a Sardinian flavour with local ingredients such as pecorino, a salty sheep’s cheese.

“Our customers are so well travelled and this stay is perfect for people who have toured Corsica and Sardinia, and want to return to Sardinia to see much more of this beautiful island. It’s also a great destination for people who usually prefer long-haul destinations but want something closer to home – you won’t find better beaches anywhere.

“A good friend of mine, who had travelled all over the world, once said ‘Sardinia is for travellers, not for tourists’, which I think is absolutely true and a good way of putting it. I’ve had a couple of family holidays to Sardinia, many years ago, and I’d go there tomorrow if I had the opportunity. It’s simply fascinating. We have found a little gem here and I think the island is somewhere our customers will really love.”